Use of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 to assess motivation for physical activity in persons with rheumatoid arthritis: an observational study

AbstractArthritis patients may show little motivation for physical activity (PA), resulting in a sedentary lifestyle. The primary objective of the study was to investigate whether motivation for PA and fulfillment of PA recommendations were associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with RA. The exploratory objective was to study whether university students could be used as controls for RA patients in future studies of PA motivation. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) was measured in 93 RA patients. The patients and 354 students filled in the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with adjustment for age and sex. The BREQ-2 scores were also compiled to an overall motivational style “Relative Autonomy Index” as previously published. Mean VO2peak for the RA patients was 32.2 (SD: 9.6) mL × min−1 × kg−1. Only 29 patients (31%) fulfilled the current recommendations for PA. BREQ-2 scores were associated with measured VO2peak (standardized coefficient 0.33, p < 0.001). Whether a person fulfilled the current recommendations for PA was a significant mediator of this effect (standardized coefficients: mediated effect; 0.22, p = 0.001, remaining direct effect; 0.11, p = 0.18). The Relative Autonomy Index also significantly predicted measured VO2peak (standardized coefficient 0.30, p < 0.001). The underlying BREQ-2 factor structure was significantly different between RA patients and university students, and comparison of scores would not be adequate. Motivation for PA was significantly associated with measured VO2peak in RA patients. The effect was mediated by whether the patient fulfilled the current recommendations for PA. Addressing and stimulating motivation is important when intervening to increase PA and cardiovascular fitness in RA patients.

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Motives of Future Elementary School Teachers to Be Physically Active

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17124393 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (12) ◽

pp. 4393

Author(s):

Miguel Ángel Durán-Vinagre ◽

Sebastián Feu ◽

Susana Sánchez-Herrera ◽

Javier Cubero

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Elementary School ◽

University Students ◽

Elementary School Teachers ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Coefficient Of Determination ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

School Teachers ◽

Physically Active ◽

First Year Students

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the motives for engaging in sports activities and the self-determination index (SDI) and how this in turn predicts the intentionality of future elementary school teachers to be physically active. Method: A total of 331 first-year students of the teacher training degree participated, 34.4% men and 65.6% women (M = 20.02; SD = 2.55). They answered the following questionnaires: “Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3”, “Motives for Physical Activity Measure-Revised” and “Intention to be Physically Active”. Results: Fitness, fun and care of one’s appearance are the motives most valued by university students. A regression analysis (structural equation modeling) revealed that appearance and social motives were negatively related to SDI, although the model clearly predicted the intention to be physically active (R2 = 0.74). A second model, which positively related the appearance and competence motives with the intention to be active, improved the coefficient of determination (R2 = 90) and fit index. Conclusions: The motives for engaging in physical activity influence university students in different ways in relation to the SDI and strongly predict the intention to be physically active.

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Mechanism Between Physical Activity and Academic Anxiety: Evidence from Pakistan

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12093595 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 3595 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sumaira Kayani ◽

Jin Wang ◽

Michele Biasutti ◽

María Luisa Zagalaz Sánchez ◽

Tayyaba Kiyani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

University Students ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Physical Activities ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Academic Anxiety ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Several Variables ◽

The Impact

A plethora of research has explored the benefits of physical activities on several variables such as academic performances, quality of life, fitness, levels of stress, and depression. However, less research considered the impact of physical activity on academic anxiety, self-enhancement, and self-criticism. This study examines the influence of physical activity on academic anxiety with self-enhancement and self-criticism playing a mediating role. Data for this model has been collected by using structured questionnaires administered to 418 Pakistani university students (undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate) aged between 18 and 36 years old. Structural equation modeling through analysis of moment structures (AMOS) was applied to find that physical activity significantly reduces academic anxiety and self-criticism, and it develops self-enhancement. Further, self-enhancement was negatively associated with academic anxiety while self-criticism is directly related to academic anxiety. More importantly, self-enhancement and self-criticism partially mediated between physical activity and academic anxiety of university students in Pakistan. This research recommends governments to support physical activity programs for university students.

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Testing a motivational process model in the context of physical activity

Social Behavior and Personality An International Journal ◽

10.2224/sbp.8401 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (12) ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tao Zhong ◽

Hui Wang

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Autonomy Support ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Process Model ◽

Need Satisfaction ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Behavioral Regulation ◽

Psychological Need ◽

Motivational Process ◽

Psychological Need Satisfaction

Using self-determination theory, we examined the mechanism of motivation in the context of physical activity (PA). We conducted structural equation modeling with 431 participants. The results showed general support for the motivational process model, in which a sequence is specified from autonomy support and causality orientations to psychological need satisfaction to self-determined behavioral regulation to PA behavior. These findings aid understanding of the underlying motivational mechanism of PA behavior, and highlight the positive roles of autonomy support and autonomy orientation in psychological need satisfaction, self-determined behavioral regulation, and PA participation.

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Physical Activity as a Mediator in the Relationship Between Race or Ethnicity and Changes in Multimorbidity

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1098 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 342-342

Author(s):

Jason Newsom ◽

Emily Denning ◽

Ana Quinones ◽

Miriam Elman ◽

Anda Botoseneanu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Sex Education ◽

Chronic Conditions ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Insurance Coverage ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

Later Life ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

The Relationship ◽

Racial Ethnic

Abstract Racial/ethnic disparities in multimorbidity (≥2 chronic conditions) and their rate of accumulation over time have been established. Studies report differences in physical activity across racial/ethnic groups. We investigated whether racial/ethnic differences in accumulation of multimorbidity over a 10-year period (2004-2014) were mediated by physical activity using data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 10,724, mean age = 63.5 years). Structural equation modeling was used to estimate a latent growth curve model of changes in the number of self-reported chronic conditions (of nine) and investigate whether the relationship of race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, non-Hispanic White) to change in the number of chronic conditions was mediated by physical activity after controlling for age, sex, education, marital status, personal wealth, and insurance coverage. Results indicated that Blacks engaged in significantly lower levels of physical activity than Whites (b = -.171, □ = -.153, p < .001), but there were no differences between Hispanics and Whites (b = -.010, □ = -.008, ns). Physical activity also significantly predicted both lower initial levels of multimorbidity (b = -1.437, □ = -.420, p < .001) and greater decline in multimorbidity (b = -.039, □ = -.075, p < .001). The indirect (mediational) effect for the Black vs. White comparison was significant (b = .007, □ = .011, 95% CI [.004,.010]). These results provide important new information for understanding how modifiable lifestyle factors may help explain disparities in multimorbidity in middle and later life, suggesting greater need to reduce sedentary behavior and increase activity.

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University Students’ Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052538 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2538

Author(s):

Angel M. Dzhambov ◽

Peter Lercher ◽

Drozdstoy Stoyanov ◽

Nadezhda Petrova ◽

Stoyan Novakov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Education ◽

University Students ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Single Item ◽

Acoustic Environment ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Human And Nature

Background: Online education became mandatory for many students during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and blurred the distinction between settings where processes of stress and restoration used to take place. The lockdown also likely changed perceptions of the indoor acoustic environment (i.e., soundscape) and raised its importance. In the present study, we seek to understand how indoor soundscape related to university students’ self-rated health in Bulgaria around the time that the country was under a state of emergency declaration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between 17 May and 10 June 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among 323 students (median age 21 years; 31% male) from two universities in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Self-rated health (SRH) was measured with a single-item. Participants were asked how frequently they heard different types of sounds while at home and how pleasant they considered each of those sounds to be. Restorative quality of the home (the “being away” dimension of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale) was measured with a single-item. A priori confounders and effect modifiers included sociodemographics, house-related characteristics, general sensitivity to environmental influences, and mental health. Our analysis strategy involved sequential exploratory factor analysis (EFA), multivariate linear and ordinal regressions, effect modification tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: EFA supported grouping perceived sounds into three distinct factors—mechanical, human, and nature sounds. Regression analyses revealed that greater exposure to mechanical sounds was consistently associated with worse SRH, whereas no significant associations were found for human and nature sounds. In SEM, exposure to mechanical sounds related to lower restorative quality of the home, and then to poorer SRH, whereas nature sounds correlated with higher restorative quality, and in turn with better SRH. Conclusions: These findings suggest a role of positive indoor soundscape and restorative quality for promoting self-rated health in times of social distancing.

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Higher Education in Times of COVID-19: University Students’ Basic Need Satisfaction, Self-Regulated Learning, and Well-Being

AERA Open ◽

10.1177/23328584211003164 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. 233285842110031

Author(s):

Julia Holzer ◽

Marko Lüftenegger ◽

Selma Korlat ◽

Elisabeth Pelikan ◽

Katariina Salmela-Aro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Positive Emotion ◽

Well Being ◽

Need Satisfaction ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Minor Effect ◽

Self Regulated Learning ◽

Regulated Learning

In the wake of COVID-19, university students have experienced fundamental changes of their learning and their lives as a whole. The present research identifies psychological characteristics associated with students’ well-being in this situation. We investigated relations of basic psychological need satisfaction (experienced competence, autonomy, and relatedness) with positive emotion and intrinsic learning motivation, considering self-regulated learning as a moderator. Self-reports were collected from 6,071 students in Austria (Study 1) and 1,653 students in Finland (Study 2). Structural equation modeling revealed competence as the strongest predictor for positive emotion. Intrinsic learning motivation was predicted by competence and autonomy in both countries and by relatedness in Finland. Moderation effects of self-regulated learning were inconsistent, but main effects on intrinsic learning motivation were identified. Surprisingly, relatedness exerted only a minor effect on positive emotion. The results inform strategies to promote students’ well-being through distance learning, mitigating the negative effects of the situation.

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Longitudinal association between autistic traits and affinity for hikikomori in Japanese university students

Current Psychology ◽

10.1007/s12144-020-01287-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yuuki Shimono ◽

Akira Hasegawa ◽

Kohei Tsuchihara ◽

Keisuke Tanaka ◽

Yuko Matsuda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Interaction ◽

University Students ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽

Japanese University ◽

Longitudinal Association ◽

Academic Failures

AbstractThe affinity for hikikomori represents the desire to be withdrawn, as well as to entertain an empathetic attitude towards withdrawn individuals. It is composed of two subdimensions, the maladaptive desire for hikikomori, and empathy for others with hikikomori. This longitudinal study examined whether autistic traits predicted the affinity for hikikomori. At the baseline assessment, undergraduate and graduate students in Japan (N = 272) completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Affinity for Hikikomori Scale in University Students, and measures assessing academic failures and interpersonal conflicts. They also completed all measures excluding the AQ eight weeks later. Structural equation modeling indicated that difficulties in social interaction aspects of autistic traits were positively associated with academic failures at Time 2 even after controlling for academic failures at Time 1. In addition, difficulties in social interaction were positively related to the desire for hikikomori at Time 2 indirectly via academic failures at Time 2 after controlling for the desire for hikikomori at Time 1. Difficulties in social interaction were also directly associated with the increased desire for hikikomori at Time 2. These findings suggest that autistic traits, and especially difficulties in social interaction, are predictors of the maladaptive aspect of the affinity for hikikomori.

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The Irritation Scale as an Instrument to Measure Stress among University Students

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/sjp.2013.106 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

Author(s):

Enrique Merino-Tejedor ◽

Joan Boada-Grau ◽

José C. Sánchez-García ◽

Pedro Miguel Hontangas-Beltrán

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation Modeling ◽

University Students ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

International Studies ◽

Two Factors ◽

Workplace Setting ◽

General Self Efficacy

AbstractThe objective of this study was to verify the factor validity and structure of the “Irritation Scale” in a sample of 578 Spanish university students. At the same time, the study aimed to verify the criterion-related validity of the scale, analyzing the results obtained through correlation with other variables, such as general self-efficacy, self-regulation, depression, and certain personality dimensions. The results obtained through the Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling approach (ESEM) using Mplus confirmed the presence of two factors in the Irritation Scale, as observed in other international studies within a workplace setting. The significant correlations obtained between the Irritation Scale and the variables considered in the study confirmed the construct validity and verified that irritation is significantly and positively associated with depression and academic burnout, and is negatively associated with general self-efficacy and self-regulation.

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Examining the intentions of a Ghanaian technical university students to use e-library

Digital Library Perspectives ◽

10.1108/dlp-05-2020-0034 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Eugene Okyere-Kwakye ◽

Khalil Md Nor

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Intention To Use ◽

Perceived Ease Of Use ◽

Content Type ◽

Library Resources ◽

Technical University

Purpose Electronic library (E-library) is a form of computer mediated system that uses electronic media, such as Web/internet devices and distributes resources to improve on the quality of teaching and learning. Students’ use of e-library for learning is essential and as such the government has invested hugely into its subscription for several university libraries in Ghana. However, most university students feel reluctant to use the e-library resources for their studies. The purpose of this paper is therefore to examine the factors that influence students’ intention to use e-library resources for their studies. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaire was used to collect data from 200 students from one Technical University in Ghana. Structural equation modeling (SmartPLS) was used to analyze the data. Findings The study found that accessibility, attitude, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and relevance to studies have positive significant effect on students’ attitude to use e-library. In addition, self-efficacy, subjective norm and attitude have positive significant influence on students’ intention to use e-library. Research limitations/implications Although the sample frame used for this study may be unique, but the total amount of data collected was limited to providing the general representative of the Ghanaian students in one particular university. Other researchers may consider collecting data from other universities to extend the sample frame for a larger sample size of students. Practical implications Academic administrators need to organize training and workshops on how to use the e-library portal for their search and other didactic assignments. Most importantly, students should be given IT or internet tutorials as foundation for the use of the e-library portal. Social implications Universities have to provide internet access such as hotspot and network routers at the labs, classrooms and other vantage points. It is believed that with these in place, adequate access to the internet would promote students’ engagement on the e-library facility. Originality/value The study examines the factors that influence students’ intention to use e-library resources for their studies in Ghana.

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Gender Differences on Attitudes and Participation in an Extracurricular Gymnastics Course Among Greek University Students

Journal of Teaching in Physical Education ◽

10.1123/jtpe.2013-0226 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 424-441 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dimitrios C. Milosis ◽

Athanasios G. Papaioannou ◽

Theophanis A. Siatras ◽

Miltiadis Proios ◽

Michael Proios

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

University Students ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Male Students ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Voluntary Participation ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Path Structure ◽

And Behavior ◽

Attitudes And Behavior

The aims of the study were (a) to test the effectiveness of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict Greek university students’ voluntary participation in an extracurricular gymnastics course, and (b) to evaluate gender differences. Two hundred sixty-three (127 female, 136 male) students participated in the study. Students’ attitudes, intention, and PBC were measured with a questionnaire and their attendance in the course was recorded by the teacher. Results from the MANOVA conducted showed that females had higher scores compared with males in all observed variables. Results from the structural equation modeling (SEM) employed supported the usefulness of TPB to explain students’ attitudes and behavior toward extracurricular physical activities (PA). Differences also emerged on path structure of the relationships among the variables.

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